Anti-bullying golf tournament in Marvin will benefit CMS

Athletes Against Bullies will kick-start its 2015 nationwide annual charity scramble with a golf tournament on Oct. 27 at the Firethorne Country Club in Marvin.

The tournament includes a pre-event party, silent auction, $1 million hole-in-one, an awards ceremony and dinner. All of the proceeds will be split between two beneficiaries: Hospitality House of Charlotte – a local nonprofit that provides housing for families whose loved ones are dealing with medical crises – and Athletes Against Bullies.

Athletes Against Bullies is a program that was started this year by SEU Promotions Charitable Foundation. The foundation promotes awareness of bullying and provides resources for schools, students and parents nationwide to prevent and handle it.

The proceeds from the tournament will help AAB pay for professional athletes to speak against bullying at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and provide Bully Ban software, a secure and anonymous way for students to report real-time bullying to school officials.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

SEU Promotions CEO Scott Schaeffer said they started this nonprofit arm of the company in June as a way to celebrate SEU Promotions’ 20 years in the golf tournament promotions business.

“This has given us an opportunity to give back to not only our community, but nationally,” he said.

Schaeffer said the tournament will take a 25-city tour, and each stop will directly benefit from the money raised at the tournament in that city. Some cities where the tournament will take place include Charleston, Chicago, New York City and Atlanta. The event will again take place at the Firethorne Country Club on Oct. 26, 2015.

Schaeffer said they decided to focus on bullying because it’s a national issue that affects youths.

According to StopBullying.Gov, approximately 28 percent of all U.S. students in grades sixth-12 have been bullied.

Schaeffer said he hopes SEU Promotions’ well-established sports business reputation would help the nationwide tournament gain attention and turn around these statistics.

Several athletes, including former NBA star Al Wood, former international boxing champ Kelvin Seabrooks and former NFL player Perry Tuttle, are teaming up with AAB to be involved in the anti-bullying campaign.

Beyond celebrity athlete speakers, Schaeffer envisions that every CMS school would become integrated with Bully Ban. However, it’s a long-term goal. He said that would cost approximately $551,250.

“We are proud to work hard for a golf tournament that gives back to families and children,” Schaeffer said.

Clifton Davis, the actor best known for his role as the Rev. Reuben Gregory on NBC’s 1980s sitcom “Amen,” will host the 25-city tournament, including the kickoff tournament on Oct. 27.

“AAB is one way to share the love of God,” Davis said. “If you can help one kid to stop bullying and one victim of bullying, you have saved two lives.”